Temperature control system



March 13, 1951 R. A. GUND TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 25, 1945 FREH EAT FRECOOL Patented Mar. 13, 1951 TEMPERATURE CONTROL SYSTEM Russell A.. Gund, Schenectady, N. Y., assignor to General Electric Company, a corporation oi New York Application May 23, 1945, Serial No. 595,350

2 Claims.

The invention relates kto temperature control systems, particularly automatic heating, cooling, or other temperature regulating systems wherein a temperature responsive control element in the form of a self-heating thermosensitive resistor that varies its resistance primarily in response to variation in a predetermined temperature condition serves to control the energization of electric control apparatus for regulating the temperature condition.

, Inall such systems, when the energizing current controlled by they temperature responsive resistor becomes appreciable, then the resistor may become self-heated due to vthe energy dissipated in it by the current controlled thereby.

rThe principal object of lthe present invention is to provide improved automaticmeans for varying the self-heating of the temperature responsive resistor so as to progressively accelerate the response of the control system to a variation of the temperature condition initiated under the control of the resistor.

A more specific object is toprovide an improved temperature control system wherein the electric temperature vcontrol or regulating apparatus that is operated under the control of the temperature sensitive resistor is provided with special means for automatically varying the current through the temperature sensitive resistor and therefore the self-heating thereof in such a Way as to increase the overall effective temperature control sensitivtyof the system. 'l

Due to the improved automatic variation of the self-heating of the temperature sensitive resistor in accordance with the present'invention a correspondingly less variation in the predetermined temperature condition to which the resistor is responsive is required to produce operation of the electric temperature control apparatus. correspondinglyy greater sensitivity of the entire temperature control system is obtained. Consequently the present invention has a Wide eld of application wherever a resistor having either a positive or a negative coeicient of resistanceserves as the temperature responsive control element. However, sinceL a temperature sensitive resistor having a negative temperature coeicient can control an appreciable current and at the Sametime provide a relatively large variation in its resistance upon a relatively small variation in its resistance upon a relatively small variation in its temperature, the present invention is partic- Hence* ularly adapted for automatically varying the selfheating of such a negative temperature coeicient resistor 'in a temperature responsive control or regulatingsystem.

In carrying out the invention in a heating system with a negative temperature coeilicient resistor serving as the temperature sensitive element, means are providedv for automatically increasing the self-heating of the resistor a predetermined amount whenever the heating apparatus is operated to increase the predetermined temperature condition to which the resistor is responsive and vice versa. Likewise, in carrying out the invention in a lcooling system whenever the cooling apparatus is operated to decrease the predetermined temperature condition, means are controlled thereby for automatically decreasing the self-heating of the resistor a predetermined amount and vice versa.` In the first instance when the self -heating of the negative temperature coefficient resistor is increased a predetermined amount, conditions are thereby established to decrease the resistivity of. the resistor correspondingly with a time delay. Consequently a progressively smaller increase of the. predetermined temperature condition will be required during the time delay to effect response of the electric control apparatus controlled by the resistor. Similarly, in the latter case, the automatic decrease in the self-heating of the resistor a predetermined amount will establish conditions for automatically increasing the resistance thereof correspondingly with a time delay. As a result a progressively smaller decrease of the predetermined temperature condition will be required during the time delay to eiiect response of the electric control apparatus. In both cases the temperature sensitive resisto-r will respond jointly to the variation of the predetermined temperature condition and with a time delay to the corresponding variation in the self-heating eiect of the current controlled by the resistor. l

The'present invention is of particular advantage in a reversible modulating temperature control system, particularly a variable step by step reversible modulating system of the type disclosed and claimed in the Hall applications, Serial Nos. 471,739, -led September 11, 1942, now Patent Number 2,404,227, and 593,213, iiledV May 1l, 1945, now Patent Number 2,515,771. v

In such reversible step by` step temperature modulating systems, a negative temperature coeiiicient resistor controls a reversing relayy to reversely operate an electrically controlled dampier, ilap, or other reversible temperature controlling means. A control rebalancing or modulating resistor is operated in accordancev with the movement of the damper, nap or other means to control the relay so as to provide variable step by stepv position modulating operation of the temperature controlling damper, flap or other means.

A further object of the present invention is to control the self-heating of the temperature responsive resistor in a reversible step by step modulating temperature control system to provide more and shorter steps and therefore more accurate and uniform temperature control.

A still further object is to provide an improved reversible step by step modulating temperature control system having selective control means capable of either increasing or decreasing the self-heating current of the negative coeflicient temperature responsive resistor and arranged so as to increase the self-heating thereof at the beginning of each step to increase the tempera-k ture condition to which the resistor is responsive and to decrease the self-heating thereof at the beginning of each step to decrease the temperature condition to which the resistor is responsive.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description of the accompanying drawings schematically illustrating preferred forms of the invention and in which Fig. 1 is a schematic circuit diagram showing the invention embodied in a heating control system employing a negative temperature coefficient resistor as the temperature sensitive element; Fig. 2 is a similar schematic circuit diagram showing the invention embodied in a cooling control system utilizing a negative tem-perature coefficient resistor as the temperature sensitive control element; Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of a reversible step by step modulating temperature control system employinga negative temperature coeflicient resistor as the temperature sensitive element and Fig. 4 shows a modified form of reversible relay which may be used in the modulating system of Fig. 3, if desired.

In the heating control system of Fig. 1 the heating apparatus I is illustrated as a typical domestic house heating boiler II, either steam or hot water, and connected to supply heat to the radiator I2 upon operation of a suitable burner mechanism I3 which may be a conventional oil burner such as shown. The starting and stopping of operation of the burner I3 is controlled by an electrical relay I5 having its pick-up and drop-out energization under the control of a temperature sensitive resistor I6. The resistor I5 has a negative temperature coefficient of resistance and is responsive to variations of the temperature in the space I'I heated by the radiator I2.

lRelay I5 is provided with a normally closed contact I8 for closing and opening the energizing circuit of the burner I3. A second normally closed relay contact I9 is provided for closing and opening the circuit of a loading resistor 20 for controlling the self-heating of the temperature sensitive resistor I6 in such a way as to accelerate theresponse of the control system to variation of the temperature of the space Il whenever a heating operation is initiated or terminated under the control of the resistor IB.

The operation of the heating control system of Fig. 1 is as follows. Let us assume that relay I5 is energized sufliciently to pick up and open contacts I8 and I9 as shown and the temperature of the space II is falling so as to require operation of the heater. As the temperature of resistor I6 I decreases, its resistance increases thereby reducing the pick-up energization of the operating winding of relay I5 to the drop-out point where the relay will respond to close both contacts I8 and I9. The temperature sensitive resistor I6 is connected in series in the energizing circuit for the operating winding of relay I 5 with the circuit extending from supply line LI through conductor 2l, the operating winding of relay I5, conductor 22, the negative temperature coeicient resistor I6 which is responsive jointly to the heating effect of the energizing current in the circuit and to variationsof the temperature in space I l, and thence through conductor 23 to supply line L2.

Upon closure of contact I8, burner I3 is energized through a circuit extending from supply line LI through conductor 24, burner I3, conductor 25, contact I8 when it is closed to bridge the cooperating contacts 25 and thence through conductor 21 to supply line L2. This initiates operation of burner I3 to heat boiler I I and thus supply heat to radiator I2 so as to increase the temperature in the space I 'I.

Simultaneously with the initiation of the heating operation, contact I9 bridges its cooperating contacts 28 thereby connecting the loading resistor 20 in parallel circuit with the operating winding of relay I5 through conductors 29 and 30. As a result, the current through the temperature sensitive resistor I6 is increased a pre- I. creased self-heating effect tends to increase the temperature of resistor I6 with a time delay entirely irrespective of the change in temperature of space I1 produced by operation of the heating apparatus. Consequently a progressively Y; lesser increase in the temperature of space Il is required to reduce the resistance of resistor IB sufliciently to increase the energization of relay I5 to the pick-up point whereupon both contacts I8 and I9 are opened to stop operation of the i heating apparatus and to decrease the self-heating of resistor I6. This decrease in self-heating serves to reduce the temperature of resistor I6 with a time delay and thus increase its resistivity. Hence a progressively lesser decrease in the temperature of space I1 will be required to further reduce the temperature of resistor I6 to the point Where relay I5 will again drop out and restart operation of the heating apparatus. As a result the overall effective temperature sensitivity of the entire control system is materially increased due to the automatic variation in self-heating effect of the current through resistor I6 reducing the effective temperature control diierential of resistor I6 required to operate the system.

In the cooling control system of Fig. 2, relay I5a is provided with the normally closed contact I9 and a normally open contact 33.

In this system, current control means in the form of a resistor 34 is inserted in series in the energizing circuit of the operating winding of relay I5a in order to control the self-heating of the negativetemperature coeflicient temperature sensitive resistor I6. Resistor 34 is connected by conductors 35 and 36 to be short-circuited whenever the normally closed relay contact I9 bridges its cooperating contacts 28.

The normally open relay contact 33 controls the energizing circuit of the driving motor 31 for the compressor 38 of the cooling equipment which serves to supply a cooling medium through the condenser 39 to the cooling unit 4I) for space I1.

The operation of the cooling control system of Fig. 2 is as follows. When the temperatureof space I'I increases the temperature of resistor I6 also increases and therefore its resistance will decrease .and thereby energize relay 15a snuiciently .to pic-k up and close contact 33 to start operation of itl-1e cooling equipment. The corripressor -dr-rving motor V3?! .is energized through conductors JH, 42 and 43 upon closure of contact 33.. Thus :a cooling `operation is linitiated to reduce the .temperature .of the space H. At the :same time normally closed Contact i9 Iopens to remove the short-circuit from the current regulating resistor 34. As -a result, the energizing current .through the yoperating winding of relay lia controlled vby resistor t is decreased towards the @drop-out point with a correspond- 'decrease in the soli-heating Ieffect of this current in .resistor .16, Thus, conditions are established to .produce -a reduction in temperature of ftheresistor i6 with a time delay irrespective of the reduction in temperature in space H due to kthe `operation of the cooling equipment. Consequently a progressively lesser reduction in the temperature of the control resistor AHi due to reduction of the temperature in space V{'I is required to increase the resistance of resistor -l-6 suniciently to drop out relay 15a and thereby open contact .33 to stop further operation `oi the .cooling-equipment. As soon as the operation of .the cooling eeguipinent is .stopped by 'opening of Contact 33 the normally closed contact i9 will reestablish the short-circuit for resistor 3,4, thereby correspondingly increasing the .energizing current Lthrough the operating winding of relay la towards the lpick-up point with a resulting increase inthe self-heating effect in the resistor 4B. Hence, a progressively lesser increase in the temperature of space il will be required .torestart operation of the cooling equipment due tothe .increase in the self-heating of resistor l5 produced by short-cirouiting .control resistor 34.

The reversible step by step modulating ternperature .control system .shown :in Fig. 3 is substantially the same as that disclosed and claimed in the .above :mentioned Hall application, `Serial No. 47.51339., except vfor the addition `of the paii` of .special .self-.heating control resistors 5B andiii and .the Ycorresponding switching vcontrol contacts v52 and `53 therefor. Ylirieily, this medulating temperature control system consists of a iiux balancing relay 54 having .a reversely tilting armature 55 polarized by the permanent magnets "56 and operated from .the mid control position to which .it is biased hy suitable-springs) in accordance with the variable preponderance of the twopairs of opposing magnetizing windings 'la, .5117, and 53a, 5873. The windings 55a and '58h are connected in series with the negative temperature coeliicient unbalancing control resistor i6 which is responsive to the temperature of the `space i1 containing a variable heat generating apparatus such as an engine, not shown. The temperature of space 'El' is regulated by admitting cooling air thereto under the control of thedamper 59.

The opposing pair of relay windings 51a and 5111 `are connected in series with the relay rebalancing or modulating resistor 11 which is varie-d :by the sliding vcontact eran 6i in accordance with themovernent ofthe damper 5e by the rever-sible yoperating motor i512, preferably operating through suitable speed reducing gearing 63. Motor 162 `iis of the usual split field reversing type havinga field 54 for operating motor 52 in a direction to "close damper-5i? and a nein t5 for 'opper .59'. Motor 162 .is energized respectively' rrelay windings.

B through field windings M und 65 by nontactors iBS 6.1 selectively energized marier the control of the polarized relay 54..

The operation of the modulating system of Fig. 3 is cas follows. Since `the reversible 'tilting armature 55 of the relay :is shown in its mid position, the damper 5:9 is in such position .as 'to maintain at least rtemporarily the temperature in space il at the desired value. 1n case 'the temperature in vspace 41 increases., the resulting increase in Y`the temperature oi resistor 16 will reduce the .resistance thereof .to increase the energization r'of the pair .of `relay windings 58a and 5817 so as to magnetically 'predominate over the opposing windings 5ta 'and 57i). The ener` gizing circuit for relay Vwindings 58a and 5B1) may be traced `from supply line Ll through lconductor 58, resistor 16, Winding 518i), conductor 69, winding 58a, conductor 1U, `and thence through control resistor 58 to supply line L22. The `energizing circuit for Athe relay windings 57a yand 51o ymay be traced .from supply line L1 through conductor 7|, sliding contact arm .Bl, rebalancing resistor 50 conductor 12, relay 'winding 51h, .conductor 1:3, relay winding 51a, .and thence through conductor im and :.oontrolresistor 5l! .to supply `line L2. Due to the .magnetic predominance oi windings 58a and :5813, tthe .centrally pivoted armature '55 will tilt counterclookwise to close the .relay contacts 7M .and thereby energize contacter El through a circuit extending from supply line .Ll through conductor 15, the operating winding of contacter 61, conductor 7E, limit switch 17, conductor "F18, relay contacts 'M and conductor 'I'S to supply line L2.. 'The resulting roperation of "contacter '57 closes contact to energize motor 62 through the field winding 65 so as to operate vdamper 59 in the fopening direction. The circuit through motor 162 extends from supply line Ll, conductor -8"|, contact 8i), eld Awinding 65, motor armature 62, and conductor 82 to supply line L2. The .resulting operation of motor .62 starts .opening of fdamper 59 and movement of Ycontact 6i to varyfresistance 60 so Aas to rebalance `the magnetizi-ng eileot rvof the two pairs of opposing .relay windings and thereby return relay armature f55 toits mid position after damper 59 has been moved a step in the opening direction.

Upon the initiation vof the step 'of opening movement of damper 59, as just described, convtaeter-B1 closes contact53 at the :same time that contact -80 Yis closed. The closure of contact 5:3 connects special loading resistor 5i in parallel With the-energizing circuits of both of -the pairs of relay windings thereby increasing the Acurrent iiow through yspecial control resistor 50. As a result'the Voltage drop through control resistor 5S is increased thereby decreasing the `voltage applied to the energizing circuits of .both pairs vof Due to the decreased voltage, the current in both windings is decreased correspondingly. -HoWevendue-to the decrease in current, the self-heating eiect of temperaturesensitive resistor I6 is increased. Thus it will be seen that by means ofthe present invention upon the initiation of each step of damper movement in theV opening-direction, the self-heating eiect of resistor IB is decreased. This produces two Vresults .both :of Vwhich tend to increase the eective control sensitivity. First, a 'lesser movement of the resistance control arm 61 is required to eifect rebalancing of the relay `since the magnetic predominance of the relay windings -:is reduced.

Second, :a lesser reduction in .the .temperature of the space I1 is required to reestablish magnetic equilibrium of the relay to return the tilting relay member 55 to its mld position to which it is biased. L

Thus the relay 54 is rebalanced after a shorter opening step of damper 59. When the relay armature 55 returns'to the mid position, contactor 61 is deenergized so as to stop operation of damper positioning motor 62 by opening a contact 80 and at the same time open contact 53 to disconnect loading resistor I. The disconnection of loading resistor 5I reduces the voltage drop through control resistor 50 to its previous value with a resultant increase in the self-heating effect of the temperature sensitive resistor I6.

In case the temperature in space I1 still continues to rise aftery the short opening step of damper 59, the continuing increase in temperature of resistor I6 will again effect a magnetizing predominance of relay windings 58a and 58h over the opposing pair of windings and the relay armature 55 will respond to again close contacts 11|y and vagain initiate another short opening step for the damper 59. In accordance with the present invention, at the beginning of each opening step loading resistor 5| will be connected by the closure of contact 53 to reduce both the unbalancing magnetic preponderance of the relay windings and the self-heating effect in resistor I5. The overall result is that more opening steps of. damper 59 are provided and each step is shorter. In this way the overall sensitivity of the temperature control system is increased and more accurate and uniform modulation of the position `of damper 59 to the proper position for 'es- Y tablishing thermal equilibrium in space I1 is obtained.

Assuming that suicient opening steps of damper 59 have occurred to produce thermal equilibrium in space I1, if now the temperature in' space I1 should happen to decrease, resistor I6 will respond to increase its resistance, thereby decreasing the energization of the pair of relay windings 58a and 58h. In this case, the opposing magnetizing winding 51a and 51h will now predominate thus causing armature 55 to tilt ina clockwise directionand close the relay contacts 85. This energizes contactor 95 through a circuit extending from supply line LI through conductor 15, winding of contactor 65, conductor 85, limit switch 81, conductor 88, relay contacts 85 and thence through conductor 19 to supply line L2. Thereupon, contactor 66 operates to close its contact 89 to energize the reversible positioning motor 62 through a circuit extending from supply line LI through conductor 8|, con.- tact 89, closing motor eld winding 64, armature 62 and conductor 842 to the other supply line. Thus motor 62 will operate in a direction to close damper 59 and at the same time move slidable contact 6I to vary resistor 60 so as to restore the balance between the two opposing pairs of relay windings after a closing step of operation of the damper has occurred.

When the closing step of damper operation is initiated by contactor 66, contact 52 thereof is operated to short-circuit control resistor 59. This shcrt-circuiting of control resistor 59 resuits in increasing the voltage applied to both pairs of relay windings. lConsequently there is an increased current ow through the negative temperature coeicient control resistor I6 with of to accelerate the response of the lcontrol apparatus. to the change? in .temperature produced.

by the closing steps of operation of damper 59. This is due to the fact that the increased seliheating of resistor I 6 serves to increase the temperature thereof irrespective of the increase in temperature in space I1 due to closing operation of damper 59. Consequently a llesser closing step of damper 59 will be required to rebalance the relay. As a result, more steps will be produced in closing the damper the amount required to reestablish thermal equilibrium in space I1 and hence more accurate and uniform temperature regulation is obtained.

In the modication shown in Fig. 4,` the improved form of ilux balancing relay of the Hall application, Serial No. 593,213, is shown with the connections required to substitute this relay in the reversible step by step modulating temperature control system of Fig. 3. The modified form of relay shown in Fig. 4 is provided with the pair of polarizing windings 99 and 9| which are continuously energized from the supply lines LI, L2 and serve to polarize the magnetic structure of the relay so as to provide opposite poles 92 and 93 adjacent the opposite ends of the reversely tilting magnetic armature 94. This armature is centrally pivoted on the central pole 95 which is oppo'sitely magnetized by the variable predominance of the opposing magnetizing windings 96 and 91 on the core 98 extending from the central i pole 95 to a point in the polarized circuit midway between the opposite poles 92 and 93.l The reversely tilting relay armature 94 is biased to its mid position in which it is shown by means of the biasing spring 99. The two opposing magnetizing windings 96 and 91 are both connected to be energized through the self-heating control resistor 5l) with the relative energization of winding 96 under the control of the negative temperature coeicient temperature responsive control resistor I6 and the relative energization of winding 91 under the control of the rebalancing resistor 60. Otherwise the circuit connections and the step by step operation of the system using the relay shown in Fig. 4 is substantially the same as previously described in connection with Fig. 3. Thus the self-heating of resistor I6 will be decreased at the beginning of each opening step of damper 59 and increased at the beginning of each closing step so as to increase the sensitivity and provide more and shorter steps in substantially the same negative temperature coeiiicient of resistance andv responsive jointly to the self-heating effect of the current controlled thereby and to a variable temperature condition, a balanced electromagnetic control means energized under the control of said resistor for oppositely unbalancing said control means in response to opposite variations in the resistance of said resistor, means including a resistor variable under the control of said control means for rebalancing said control means and means including a resistor under the control of said electromagnetic control means for varying said self-heating eiect upon a predetermined unbalancing of said control means to accelerate the rebalancing of said control means.

2. In combination, a control resistor having a negative temperature coefficient of resistance and responsive jointly to the self-heating eiect of the current controlled thereby and to a variable temperaturellcondition, a balanced electromagnetic;

control means energized under the control of said resistor for oppositely unbalancing said control means in response to opposite variations in the resistance of vsaid resistor, means including a resistor variable under the control of said control means for rebalancing said control means and means including a pair of resistors under the selective control of said electromagnetic control means, each .for oppositely varying said self-heating eifect'upon a corresponding unbalancing of said control 'means to accelerate the rebalancing of said control means.

RUSSELL A. GUND.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

Number Number 10 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Steinmetz Aug. 20, 1918 Gano June 4, 1929 Moore Feb. 28, 1939 Bagnall Apr. 7, 1942 Spangenberg Aug. 11, 1942 Bedford May 4, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Sept. 9, 1921 Great Britain Dec. 1, 1943 Germany Dec. 10, 1936 

